K.K. Allen's Blog, page 2
April 14, 2020
Cover Reveal + $50 Giveaway
Cover Reveal + $50 Giveaway!!! Through the Lens releases on May 1st and I'm here to show you the beautiful cover! Sarah with Okay Creations and Regina Wamba did a fabulous job bringing Maggie and Desmond to life, and I cannot wait for you all to read this story! Keep reading for more info about this book and details on how to win a $50 gift card. 
"He thought I was his muse. Turned out, he was mine too.”
Maggie Stevens is done feeling objectified.
After spending her entire life in the spotlight and climbing the high fashion ranks as a model in LA, she’s willing to leave it all behind for a fresh start. Moving to Seattle seems like the perfect solution.
A clean slate.
New adventures.
Endless opportunities.
All is going according to plan. Until she meets the drop-dead gorgeous cooking instructor who delights in adding to her misery.
Desmond Blake is determined to make a name for his culinary school—one that speaks to his hard work and undeniable passion.
When his food photography hobby garners attention from an unexpected source, his dreams are finally within reach. The obstacle he never sees coming is the sharp-tongued bombshell with a distaste for all he stands for.
When Desmond accidentally captures a photo of Maggie during a moment of weakness, he starts to see there’s more to the fashionista than meets the eye…
Sometimes what can be seen through the lens is a skewed version of reality. A bent perspective. Manufactured, therefore losing all sense of authenticity. And sometimes all it takes is a different angle to see what’s right in front of you.
—————————————————————
Get an email when it's LIVE ➔ http://eepurl.com/dsAaND
Add to Goodreads ➔ smarturl.it/ThroughtheLens_TBR
Blogger Signups ➔ smarturl.it/Lens_BloggerSignUp
—————————————————————
What you'll find in TTL:
— Can be read as a total standalone!
— Enemies to Lovers
— Slow burn to scorching
— Hot cocky chef w/a love for food photography
— Witty, steaming hot banter
— All the angsty feels you know and love from me!
—————————————————————
★★ ENTER FOR A $50 AMAZON GIFT CARD ★★
CLICK HERE TO ENTER
"He thought I was his muse. Turned out, he was mine too.”Maggie Stevens is done feeling objectified.
After spending her entire life in the spotlight and climbing the high fashion ranks as a model in LA, she’s willing to leave it all behind for a fresh start. Moving to Seattle seems like the perfect solution.
A clean slate.
New adventures.
Endless opportunities.
All is going according to plan. Until she meets the drop-dead gorgeous cooking instructor who delights in adding to her misery.
Desmond Blake is determined to make a name for his culinary school—one that speaks to his hard work and undeniable passion.
When his food photography hobby garners attention from an unexpected source, his dreams are finally within reach. The obstacle he never sees coming is the sharp-tongued bombshell with a distaste for all he stands for.
When Desmond accidentally captures a photo of Maggie during a moment of weakness, he starts to see there’s more to the fashionista than meets the eye…
Sometimes what can be seen through the lens is a skewed version of reality. A bent perspective. Manufactured, therefore losing all sense of authenticity. And sometimes all it takes is a different angle to see what’s right in front of you.
—————————————————————
Get an email when it's LIVE ➔ http://eepurl.com/dsAaND
Add to Goodreads ➔ smarturl.it/ThroughtheLens_TBR
Blogger Signups ➔ smarturl.it/Lens_BloggerSignUp
—————————————————————
What you'll find in TTL:
— Can be read as a total standalone!
— Enemies to Lovers
— Slow burn to scorching
— Hot cocky chef w/a love for food photography
— Witty, steaming hot banter
— All the angsty feels you know and love from me!
—————————————————————
★★ ENTER FOR A $50 AMAZON GIFT CARD ★★
CLICK HERE TO ENTER
July 8, 2016
Up in the Treehouse - Signed Print Copies!!!
UP IN THE TREEHOUSE signed copies are now available :)
Please use this sign up form to complete your order. Shipments will go out weekly, on a first come, first serve basis! First shipment goes out on or before July 19th!
http://smarturl.it/SignedPrint
Please use this sign up form to complete your order. Shipments will go out weekly, on a first come, first serve basis! First shipment goes out on or before July 19th!
http://smarturl.it/SignedPrint
October 6, 2014
September 14, 2014
The Summer Solstice: Enchanted (OFFICIAL BOOK TRAILER)
I am so excited about this book trailer, I just can't stop talking about it...but I'm tired of talking about it! Here's hoping you all love it as much as I do and share, share, share. This entire video was made with my own two hands, from spending ridiculous time searching for the perfect video clips, finding the most EPIC music, and writing the copy...oh yeah, I edited it too!
Many hours, much love, and insane passion to make my book come to life in a way that hopefully encourages the right folks to download it and start reading today!
Check it out, and make sure to leave you comments, like it, and SHARE it with your friends.
http://youtu.be/DK71_x58wAE?list=UUO1...
Many hours, much love, and insane passion to make my book come to life in a way that hopefully encourages the right folks to download it and start reading today!
Check it out, and make sure to leave you comments, like it, and SHARE it with your friends.
http://youtu.be/DK71_x58wAE?list=UUO1...
July 29, 2014
Indie vs. Traditional Publishing - What's Right For You?
Indie vs. Traditional Publishing - What's Right For You?
I recently posted a message on my Facebook page and the reaction was favorable so I wanted to elaborate. Since releasing my first novel, The Summer Solstice: Enchanted, I've been approached by many aspiring writers. They ask me how I got started and then let me know that they too have been working on a book that they would love to get published one day. I always encourage them and say, "If you have something to write, then write it." That's really all that matters. I didn't start writing in order to publish and become a billionaire (that would be nice though!). I write because I love to write. And for the first time in my life, I was ready to face the world with my story. I know I'm not alone. My Indie Author friends will agree...the Indie road is a long and demanding one. It's constant effort, networking, and learning. Fulfilling? Yes!
My FB post message:
Many people ask me why I didn't seek out an agent or publisher after writing The Summer Solstice: Enchanted. I'd have much more exposure (especially initially). An amazing editor would have been appointed to me (much needed). I'd be in bookstores everywhere (not necessarily). Here's what I've learned going Indie...there are some extraordinary people out there that genuinely want to help others succeed. The Indie community is one that gives and gives and gives. We buy each other's work, we share honest opinions, and we grow in what we do because we aren't afraid to listen to constructive criticism (thank you to those who have done this for me). I've connected with so many ambitious authors who understand that writing is a never-ending journey, one that is driven by passion and great storytelling - not $$$. There is no perfection. Hopefully readers enjoy our stories, but this is not always the case(this is tougher than you can imagine). Every day I'm learning and applying feedback thanks to some great people out there. I'm not saying that going Indie is the better route - but for me, it's working out!
So is Indie the right option for you? That's up for you to decide ;)
Follow me on FB and Twitter for more on me and The Summer Solstice series!
FACEBOOK - www.facebook.com/authorkkallen
TWITTER - https://twitter.com/KKAllen_Author
I recently posted a message on my Facebook page and the reaction was favorable so I wanted to elaborate. Since releasing my first novel, The Summer Solstice: Enchanted, I've been approached by many aspiring writers. They ask me how I got started and then let me know that they too have been working on a book that they would love to get published one day. I always encourage them and say, "If you have something to write, then write it." That's really all that matters. I didn't start writing in order to publish and become a billionaire (that would be nice though!). I write because I love to write. And for the first time in my life, I was ready to face the world with my story. I know I'm not alone. My Indie Author friends will agree...the Indie road is a long and demanding one. It's constant effort, networking, and learning. Fulfilling? Yes!
My FB post message:
Many people ask me why I didn't seek out an agent or publisher after writing The Summer Solstice: Enchanted. I'd have much more exposure (especially initially). An amazing editor would have been appointed to me (much needed). I'd be in bookstores everywhere (not necessarily). Here's what I've learned going Indie...there are some extraordinary people out there that genuinely want to help others succeed. The Indie community is one that gives and gives and gives. We buy each other's work, we share honest opinions, and we grow in what we do because we aren't afraid to listen to constructive criticism (thank you to those who have done this for me). I've connected with so many ambitious authors who understand that writing is a never-ending journey, one that is driven by passion and great storytelling - not $$$. There is no perfection. Hopefully readers enjoy our stories, but this is not always the case(this is tougher than you can imagine). Every day I'm learning and applying feedback thanks to some great people out there. I'm not saying that going Indie is the better route - but for me, it's working out!
So is Indie the right option for you? That's up for you to decide ;)
Follow me on FB and Twitter for more on me and The Summer Solstice series!
FACEBOOK - www.facebook.com/authorkkallen
TWITTER - https://twitter.com/KKAllen_Author
July 1, 2014
The Mythology of the Summer Solstice Enchanted
Since the launch of my book, The Summer Solstice: Enchanted, friends, family, and other readers have asked me how I came up with this mythology of the Summer Solstice. It really all started with my passion to write, my love for love stories, and my interest to create something magical. Something along the lines of Teen Witch, my favorite 80’s movie that my best friend (a guy) and I love to quote whenever we get the opportunity. "Top that, stop that. I don't really give a about tryin to top that!" If you’ve seen the movie once you know exactly what I’m referencing. But in all seriousness, I truly believe that that is a great movie. It's a lighthearted teen romance with a magical twist but it plays with realistic high school issues – it is hard to be "unpopular." I know this from experience – you don't get the guy, you try to wear the right clothes but they never quite match up to the true trend setters of your school, you don't get invited to dances, and boys just use you for your brain (if you're lucky). It's this realistic undertone that is relatable – but with a magical twist. That’s exactly the story I wanted to write.
As I considered my options in regards to characters, settings, and magical happenings, I toyed with the idea of creating my own mythology – one that would be original and set a apart from the well-loved vampire romances of modern day. Don’t get me wrong, I am all about Team Edward – but I didn't want to write something that had already been written. So I did a lot – A LOT of research.
During one of my daily visits to the bookstore, I picked up my first book relating to the Summer Solstice. I didn't understand why this particular book was in the Mythologies section so I thumbed through it and suddenly the light bulb went off in my head. I continued to gain as much knowledge as I could about this "event" as many call the Summer Solstice; the one day of the year that the sun appears to hang in the sky longer than all the rest. I found something about this – enchanting. This deserved a story...
I continued to flush out my concept via outline and summary. Once I figured out the premise of what The Summer Solstice Enchanted could be about, I began to play with characters and how they could be involved in such a unique story. Like in Teen Witch, I also believe that something magical happens when a teenager becomes 16 years of age. She is becoming more independent. She can drive; therefore, she has more freedom. Her awkward teen years are finally fading away and she's becoming a young woman – one that deserves to be admired.
Quickly after writing a good part of Enchanted, I knew that I wanted to carry this story further. If you’ve read The Summer Solstice Enchanted then you will agree that the first book is more about Kat growing into her own skin, figuring out who she is, and how to cope with it all, than it is a love story – though the elements are there, it’s not as prominent as Kat’s character and her heritage. It didn’t start out this way.
Originally, I wanted to write a forbidden love story. But when it came down to it, Kat has to learn so much about herself in Enchanted that the love story just felt forced. She – like all of us girls – needed to be comfortable in her own skin before she could truly love another. And with no father figure in her life, love is a confusing subject for her. It was important for me to have Kat explore realistic emotions, and though the magical elements are distracting to how a realistic situation would be portrayed, that is the life of Katrina Summer. We get to watch her character grow from awkward, shy, teen girl, to the blossoming and enchanting Katrina Summer. She is forced to grow up quickly and accept the fact that her mom lied to her. She is faced with new experiences in Apollo Beach – boys, bullies, family, and independence – all of which she'd never had before. She is also still dealing with the death of her mom. As a young girl especially, death doesn’t makes sense. As she expresses in her own thoughts, why would someone so healthy, die for no apparent reason? All of these factors had to play out to create the story of the Summer Solstice and there’s much more to the story that we find out in subsequent novels.
In essence, Kat is just like any other teen girl that is fumbling her way through new experiences and learning how to deal with the unexpected. She must find the power within herself to grow up and experience life. As Kat's confidence emerges throughout this story, I hope the same for my young readers. Magic is something we all hold within ourselves. I encourage you to let your magic shine.
Much love,
K.K. Allen
P.S. A hint to my readers: I am receiving your questions and requests for MORE. I am unbelievably pleased with the feedback you’ve provided. So here’s a hint…YES, the second book in the series, The Equinox will have MUCH more of everything you’ve been asking for and your questions WILL be answered :)
Purchase here: http://amzn.to/1quA7UQ
Join me on Facebook and Twitter for the latest news, giveaways, and more!
https://www.facebook.com/authorkkallen
https://twitter.com/KKAllen_Author
As I considered my options in regards to characters, settings, and magical happenings, I toyed with the idea of creating my own mythology – one that would be original and set a apart from the well-loved vampire romances of modern day. Don’t get me wrong, I am all about Team Edward – but I didn't want to write something that had already been written. So I did a lot – A LOT of research.
During one of my daily visits to the bookstore, I picked up my first book relating to the Summer Solstice. I didn't understand why this particular book was in the Mythologies section so I thumbed through it and suddenly the light bulb went off in my head. I continued to gain as much knowledge as I could about this "event" as many call the Summer Solstice; the one day of the year that the sun appears to hang in the sky longer than all the rest. I found something about this – enchanting. This deserved a story...
I continued to flush out my concept via outline and summary. Once I figured out the premise of what The Summer Solstice Enchanted could be about, I began to play with characters and how they could be involved in such a unique story. Like in Teen Witch, I also believe that something magical happens when a teenager becomes 16 years of age. She is becoming more independent. She can drive; therefore, she has more freedom. Her awkward teen years are finally fading away and she's becoming a young woman – one that deserves to be admired.
Quickly after writing a good part of Enchanted, I knew that I wanted to carry this story further. If you’ve read The Summer Solstice Enchanted then you will agree that the first book is more about Kat growing into her own skin, figuring out who she is, and how to cope with it all, than it is a love story – though the elements are there, it’s not as prominent as Kat’s character and her heritage. It didn’t start out this way.
Originally, I wanted to write a forbidden love story. But when it came down to it, Kat has to learn so much about herself in Enchanted that the love story just felt forced. She – like all of us girls – needed to be comfortable in her own skin before she could truly love another. And with no father figure in her life, love is a confusing subject for her. It was important for me to have Kat explore realistic emotions, and though the magical elements are distracting to how a realistic situation would be portrayed, that is the life of Katrina Summer. We get to watch her character grow from awkward, shy, teen girl, to the blossoming and enchanting Katrina Summer. She is forced to grow up quickly and accept the fact that her mom lied to her. She is faced with new experiences in Apollo Beach – boys, bullies, family, and independence – all of which she'd never had before. She is also still dealing with the death of her mom. As a young girl especially, death doesn’t makes sense. As she expresses in her own thoughts, why would someone so healthy, die for no apparent reason? All of these factors had to play out to create the story of the Summer Solstice and there’s much more to the story that we find out in subsequent novels.
In essence, Kat is just like any other teen girl that is fumbling her way through new experiences and learning how to deal with the unexpected. She must find the power within herself to grow up and experience life. As Kat's confidence emerges throughout this story, I hope the same for my young readers. Magic is something we all hold within ourselves. I encourage you to let your magic shine.
Much love,
K.K. Allen
P.S. A hint to my readers: I am receiving your questions and requests for MORE. I am unbelievably pleased with the feedback you’ve provided. So here’s a hint…YES, the second book in the series, The Equinox will have MUCH more of everything you’ve been asking for and your questions WILL be answered :)
Purchase here: http://amzn.to/1quA7UQ
Join me on Facebook and Twitter for the latest news, giveaways, and more!
https://www.facebook.com/authorkkallen
https://twitter.com/KKAllen_Author
Let Your Dreams Be Bigger Than Your Fears
Writing is something I’ve always been passionate about. I remember at 13 years old I had filled an entire spiral bound notebook with my first book. I have no interest in reading that book now, but the amazing fact is, I wrote a book. From start to finish, I’d crafted an entire fictional story with characters, plots, drama, etc. Why I picked up my pen and started doing this is a mystery to me. Perhaps the dozens of sleepovers with my best friend as we traded Sweet Valley High and R.L. Stine books back and forth played a part in this. Maybe it was my love for putting pen on paper and perfecting my handwriting. Or possibly it was my fascination with love stories and the ability to tell a story exactly how I wanted to. I'm positive all of these things played a part in my passion to write. And now fast forward a couple decades (ouch) and I have probably written about 12 books. Don't even ask - those books will never see the light of day. In fact, I may have burned them by now. But the passion and enjoyment of writing never died.
Six years ago (In August), I quit my job in Advertising, left my friends, packed up my condo, and moved to Florida. I decided to take a risk and start a new venture. At that time, finding a job was tough. My dream of working for one of the theme park’s corporate offices were dashed as soon as I realized the number of applicants they receive daily. I still tried, but with no luck. During my journey in finding a job, I began to fill the extra hours of my day with writing. This time, I was determined to take it seriously. I wanted to create an elaborate story involving love, the supernatural, and all things the young adult readers crave (let’s face it, even us adults love those books!). I’ve always found Ancient Greek history, especially the mythologies created from them, intriguing. I thought to myself, “How cool would that be to write my own mythology set in modern day?” And that’s what I set out to do.
While initially creating this story, I allowed life, and fear of rejection, to get in the way. And although I tried to get back to it as often as I could, I had lost that driving force in me. Thankfully, recent events have pushed me to find myself and connect with my writing again. I haven’t been happier. The feeling of completing a book from start to finish, having others read it, and then having them actually want to continue reading is fulfilling all in itself.
I’m currently at the end of my editing phase and my book is almost ready. I've set a deadline, because I know if I don't I could rewrite the story a dozen more times before perfecting it. I can’t wait to share my story with you all. And although I'd love to try the "find an agent and get printed by a real publisher" route, I'm going to give this self-publishing thing a try. And while I brace myself for inevitable criticism I will no longer hold back and fear the unknown. I’m going to put myself out there, share my story, and enjoy every second of it. I hope you do too!
Thank you for reading this,
K.K. Allen
P.S. For those of you who know me, K.K. Allen is my pen name. My ultimate goal is to write Project Management books as well, and I want to keep those under my “real” name. Soooo, there ya have it!
The Summer Solstice Novel will be available in Kindle format on June 10th, 2014.
Six years ago (In August), I quit my job in Advertising, left my friends, packed up my condo, and moved to Florida. I decided to take a risk and start a new venture. At that time, finding a job was tough. My dream of working for one of the theme park’s corporate offices were dashed as soon as I realized the number of applicants they receive daily. I still tried, but with no luck. During my journey in finding a job, I began to fill the extra hours of my day with writing. This time, I was determined to take it seriously. I wanted to create an elaborate story involving love, the supernatural, and all things the young adult readers crave (let’s face it, even us adults love those books!). I’ve always found Ancient Greek history, especially the mythologies created from them, intriguing. I thought to myself, “How cool would that be to write my own mythology set in modern day?” And that’s what I set out to do.
While initially creating this story, I allowed life, and fear of rejection, to get in the way. And although I tried to get back to it as often as I could, I had lost that driving force in me. Thankfully, recent events have pushed me to find myself and connect with my writing again. I haven’t been happier. The feeling of completing a book from start to finish, having others read it, and then having them actually want to continue reading is fulfilling all in itself.
I’m currently at the end of my editing phase and my book is almost ready. I've set a deadline, because I know if I don't I could rewrite the story a dozen more times before perfecting it. I can’t wait to share my story with you all. And although I'd love to try the "find an agent and get printed by a real publisher" route, I'm going to give this self-publishing thing a try. And while I brace myself for inevitable criticism I will no longer hold back and fear the unknown. I’m going to put myself out there, share my story, and enjoy every second of it. I hope you do too!
Thank you for reading this,
K.K. Allen
P.S. For those of you who know me, K.K. Allen is my pen name. My ultimate goal is to write Project Management books as well, and I want to keep those under my “real” name. Soooo, there ya have it!
The Summer Solstice Novel will be available in Kindle format on June 10th, 2014.
